The Chaparrals got their home season finally underway Tuesday afternoon, but visiting Highland College got the upper-hand in a 9-4, 8-4 sweep in nonconference softball at Sark Park.
 
The Chaps, now 3-16 overall, are scheduled to play host to Prairie State on Saturday afternoon, weather pending. First pitch is noon.
 
Game 1: Highland 9, Chaps 4
A seven-run third inning squashed a 2-0 Chaparrals lead as the Cougars scored nine unanswered in the opener.
 
Alyssa Pham gave the Chaps a 2-0 lead in the second. With Vincenza Zaccaro (walk) and Angela Pfotenhauer (fielder's choice), Pham drove a single to center for the lead.
 
Zaccaro answered with an RBI double to left that scored Kate Koska (single). Ashley Eiremann had an RBI-double in the seventh.
 
Pham, Zaccaro and Karen Martini each had two hits.
 
On the mound, Martini took the loss in her seven innings. She struck out five, but walked six batters. She allowed 11 hits.
 
Game 2: Highland 8, Chaps 4
Highland built an 8-0 lead, but the Chaps scored three runs in the fifth to halt a potential eight-run rule.
 
In the fifth, Eiremann drove in Andrea Richards (single) on a ground ball to center. One batter later, Koska hit a run-scoring single to center that scored Martini (walk). Koska later scored on a ground out by Kiara Negron.
 
Pham stole home in the sixth to complete the Chaps' scoring. Richards, Koska, and Sarah Crosby all had two hits.